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Quærit opes et amicitias, infervit honori;
Conmififfe cavet quod mox mutare laboret.

Multa fenem circumveniunt incommoda; vel quod Quærit, et inventis miser abftinet, ac timet uti; 170 Vel quod res omnes timidè gelidèque miniftrat, Dilator, fpe lentus, iners, pavidusque futuri ; Difficilis, querulus, laudator temporis acti Se puero, cenfor, caftigatorque minorum,

Multa ferunt anni venientes commoda fecum, 175 Multa recedentes adimunt; ne forte feniles Mandentur juveni partes, pueroque viriles. Semper in adjunctis ævoque morabimur aptis.

Aut agitur res in fcenis, aut acta refertur:

Segnius

Seeks riches, friends; with thirft of honour glows;
And all the meannefs of ambition knows;

Prudent, and wary, on each deed intent,
Fearful to act, and afterwards repent.

Evil in various shapes Old Age furrounds; Riches his aim, in riches he abounds;

250

Yet what he gain'd in fear, he fears to lofe;

And what he fought as useful, dares not use.

255

Timid and cold in all he undertakes,

His hand from doubt, as well as weakness, shakes;
Hope makes him tedious, fond of dull delay;
Dup'd by to-morrow, tho' he dies to-day;
Ill-humour'd, querulous; yet loud in praise
Of all the mighty deeds of former days;

When he was young, good heavens, what glorious times!

Unlike the present age, that teems with crimes!

Thus years advancing many comforts bring, And, flying, bear off many on their wing: 265 Confound not youth with age, nor age with youth, But mark their feveral characters with truth!

Events are on the ftage in act difplay'd, Or by narration, if unfeen, convey'd.

Cold

Segnius irritant animos demiffa per aurem, 180
Quam quæ funt oculis fubjecta fidelibus, et quæ
Ipfe fibi tradit fpectator. Non tamen intus
Digna geri promes in fcenam: multaque tolles
Ex oculis, quæ mox narret facundia præsens :
Ne pueros coram populo Medea trucidet;

185

Aut humana palam coquat exta nefarius Atreus.; Aut in avem Procne vertatur, Cadmus in anguem. Quodcunque oftendis mihi fic, incredulus odi.

Neve minor, neu fit quinto productior actu Fabula, quæ pofci vult, et spectata reponi.

Nec Deus interfit, nifi dignus vindice nodus Inciderit: nec quarta loqui perfona laboret.

190

Actoris partes Chorus, officiumque virile Defendat: neu quid medios intercinat actus,

Quod non propofito conducat et hæreat apte.

195

Cold is the tale diftilling thro' the ear,
Filling the foul with lefs difmay and fear,
Than where fpectators view, like standers-by,"
The deed fubmitted to the faithful eye.

270

Yet force not on the stage, to wound the fight,
Acts that should pafs within, and fhun the light! 275:
Many there are the eye fhould ne'er behold,
But touching Eloquence in time unfold:
Who on Medea's parricide can look ?
View horrid Atreus human garbage cook?
If a bird's feathers I fee Progne take,
If I fee Cadmus flide into a snake,
My faith revolts; and I condemn outright
The fool that fhews me fuch a filly fight.

Let not your play have fewer acts than five, Nor more, if you would wifh it run and thrive!

Draw down no God, unworthily betray'd, Unless fome great occafion afk his aid!

Let no fourth person, labouring for a speech, Make in the dialogue a needlefs breach!

280

An actor's part the CHORUS should sustain, 290 Gentle in all its office, and humane;

Chaunting no Odes between the acts, that feem
Unapt, or foreign to the general theme.

Let

Ille bonis faveatque, et concilietur amicis,
Et regat iratos, et amet peccare timentes :
Ille dapes laudet menfæ brevis, ille falubrem
Juftitiam, legefque, et apertis otia portis :
Ille tegat commiffa, Deofque precetur et oret, 200
Ut redeat miferis, abeat fortuna fuperbis.

Tibia non, ut nunc, orichalco vincta, tubæque
Æmula; fed tenuis, fimplexque foramine pauco,
Afpirare et adeffe choris erat utilis, atque
Nondum fpiffa nimis complere fedilia flatu: 205
Quo fanè populus numerabilis, utpote parvus
Et frugi castusque verecundufque coibat.
Poftquam cœpit agros extendere victor, et urbem
Laxior amplecti murus, vinoque diurno
Placari Genius feftis impune diebus,

Acceffit numerifque modifque licentia major.
Indoctus quid enim faperet liberque laborum,
Rufticus urbano confufus,

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